Pierce My Heart
by lilbit89
Summary: A girl getting over an ex abusive boyfriend works at a tattoo parlor to pay for her room at the owner's house and in which the owner helps keep her safe from the ex. Corey comes back to the parlor to add a new tattoo to his collection, offered to come back to the shop as the body piercer. Could he pierce her heart along the way and show her true love or would she get hurt again?
1. Chapter 1

**I DO NOT OWN ANYONE OR ANYTHING IN THIS STORY BESIDES THE OC'S.**

I sat on the bar stool I had claimed to be my own since it was the most comfortable and the cooler bar stool type chair we had behind the glass case counter we had. I looked down at the counter, my sketch book open on top as I was working on my latest sketch and wishing that I had brought my colored pencils but I just stared at it trying to think I needed to add more to it and trying to correct any of my lines. I heard the bell on the door chime, it was the only loud noise that interrupted the noise of the soft buzzing of the tattoo guns in the back rooms.

"Welcome to True Image." I stated as I had finally looked up seeing a man I hadn't seen before with a blue long sleeved shirt, and black slacks. I could see tattoos on the top of his hands, his knuckles, the sides of his neck and that was all that was visible to my eyes. "How may I help you sir?" I asked closing my sketch book pushing it aside as I stood up and walking a little closer to the register and the entrance to behind the counter.

"Yeah, I was hoping to get some new work done. Is Kevin in?" The man asked as I nodded.

"He is currently with a customer, he should be almost done. What type of work are you looking at getting and you have an idea of what you are getting?" I asked curiously as he walked closer and began to roll up the sleeve on his one arm exposing a couple tattoos he had on his arms then I had noticed a word written on at least those knuckles, and presumed there was another word on the other hand.

"I was hoping to get a set of brass knuckles here, want to add more later but for now want to get that down. I've never seen you here before, are you new?"

"No, I started working here a few months back so you must not come often sir." I stated.

"Well, I haven't been here often enough or sooner...since we haven't officially met, I'm Corey and you are?" He asked as he leant against the counter besides where I stood and across from me.

"I'm Melanie, you a friend of Kevin or something?" I asked eyeing him as I rested a hand on the edge of the counter sort of leaning on my hand.

"Sort of, I used to work here a few years back."

"Why'd you leave? It looks like you certainly love the tattoo world." I said as I nodded towards his tatted up arm.

"Other things came up, bigger and better things that is." Corey said as I nodded, I only wished I had bigger and better things that would come my way but was happy that I was where I was right now because it was better than the situation I was in. "What about yourself, you got any tattoos?" Corey asked as I smirked and began to roll up my sleeve showing a handful of the ones I had gotten over the year or so of coming here and working here. "Are those all of them?" He asked.

"No, I got a few others." I answered as he kept glancing at me as his hand slowly inched towards mine where I felt his fingers slowly brush onto my skin and rubbing over the ink, mainly outlining the designs.

"Why did you choose these?"

"I should be asking you the same thing, why brass knuckles? Or the words 'stay...'" I began to ask as I was trying to read the word on his other hand but couldn't.

"Down." He said with a smile.

"Down? Why any of the tattoos?" I asked with a smirk and a shrug.

"Because we want and it's our body." Corey said with a smirk, "How did you get a job here? You look so innocent." He said.

"Innocent? This isn't a sex shop Mr. Corey, it's a tattoo parlor."

"Okay, true but you look too innocent for someone that would be into this whole tattoo and piercing thing."

"I've seen darker shit so this hasn't begun to show my dark side." I siad as I heard him let out a laugh. "What's so funny? You don't even know me."

"Nothing...nothing at all, you must be very nice or something good about you if Kevin trusts you and hired you."

"Obviously, I think I have done my job well." I said confidently.

"I wouldn't know..." Corey said with a smirk.

"I thought I recognized that voice." Kevin said as I looked over seeing him walk out from the back area.

"Kevin, it's been too long...didn't know you were hiring." Corey said as he walked towards Kevin meeting Kevin half way.

"Uh..." Kevin said as he glanced over at me as I zipped my mouth to not say anything about what truly happened, "Yeah, the last girl, she was stealing from me and Melanie was just there." Kevin said, "She was a trusty client and figured might as well hire her on, she was here just as much as you were." Kevin said with a chuckle as Corey glanced back at me with a smile then he turned back to Kevin.

"Well, she seems like she will do way better off than that blonde bimbo you had before." Corey said, I had took it as a compliment but I had no choice but to do better and do my best, fucking up wasn't an option in my current situation. Kevin's previous customer had came up to me allowing me to finish up the paperwork and cash him out which I did before I went and sat down at Kevin's desk making it easier to continue sketching in my book. Tonight was slower than usual, but it was a week day and that is usually our down time anyway but my mind was still processing Corey, how Kevin knew Corey, and such. Corey was quiet good looking, he had that rough cookie cut image about him with the tattoos, he was clean shaving and his sense of style, I was instantly attracted visually to him but it seems too soon to get involved with another man. I kept telling myself that not every man was like my ex, Corey must have been decent if he was friends with Kevin, very much how Corey stated about me working here. I don't know how they knew each other, Corey has obviously been a customer here before but I don't know if that is how far his and Kevin's friendship extended. Corey is and will always be a customer, a good looking customer, but a customer. I worked at my sketch not paying attention to anything since I hadn't heard any new customer walk through the front door until I heard someone clear their voice startling me. "What are you drawing?" Corey asked as I looked up at him, I put my pencil down before I stood up.

"Something stupid, I just like doodling things." I said as I shrugged walking around the desk that I was currently seating at to head to the cash register.

"So, you provide Kevin with the art work?"

"No, Kevin does his own art work." I stated as I began to ring up the cost of what Kevin had written on Corey's paperwork.

"He bashing my art work again?" Kevin asked as he came to join us after he cleaned his station I had assumed.

"What also am I able to bash?" Corey asked with a chuckle.

"If you didn't like it that much, 95% of those tattoos wouldn't be on your body." Kevin defended as I smiled.

"Ooohhh! You got me." Corey said sarcastically.

"You never explained 'stay down.'" I said as I pushed buttons on the register.

"He never explained it to me either, actually he did but that is a story at a later time." Kevin said.

"I can answer for myself." Corey said as Kevin smiled.

"I know you can but I like answering for you." Kevin said as I watched the two interact as Corey handed over the money and I finished ringing him out as Kevin and Corey chatted. I stood there listening in hoping to learn more about these two's relationship and about Corey himself. Corey finally said his good-byes and giving me a hand shake before he headed out the front door.

"How do you know Corey?" I asked as I looked over at him.

"He worked here years ago, he was a piercer. He worked at another parlor that shut down so he looked into working here and I gave him a job only because the previous owner gave good words on Corey."

"But we don't do piercings."

"Not anymore, he was and will always be the only piercer I would have in this parlor." Kevin said as I let out a sigh. "You like him don't you?" Kevin asked.

"No..." I said in the most strong firm voice but knew it didn't come out that way. "Alright, he's attractive but I think it's too soon."

"Too soon? It's been at least six months now Melanie."

"Yes but that fuck face still shows up looking for me, how many times had the cops been called here? I am beyond shocked that we still get business or that the cops haven't done any investigations and if that ever happens it will be my fault."

"That will never happen okay, the cops were called once and that was it." Kevin said as I nodded as I ran a hand through my hair.

"I don't need to drag someone else into this."

"Corey is a good guy, he will protect you and won't take any of Alex's shit."

"Whatever it maybe, I don't want to ruin any relationship because of my past. What if I end up falling in love with Corey and he notices the sucky baggage I have of a stupid ex trying to ruin my life amongst other things he leaves me?" I said.

"He won't be like that, I'm pretty sure Corey will be back soon."

"Why do you say that?" I asked curiously.

"I asked him if he wanted to come back and pierce for me when he is off from his day job and he accepted it."

"What's his day job?" I asked curiously.

"I'll let him tell you." Kevin said, "Get back to work..." He said as I nodded as I began walking back to the desk.

"Kevin...do you think he will pierce my tragus?" I asked.

"I'm sure he would, willingly and for free." Kevin said, he just seemed to be acting weird but that was Kevin as I went back to work and was happy to have another person working here rather than just Kevin and I. It came time for the shop to close, I got all my work done and whatever was left was Kevin's work, like counting the till and cleaning up the supplies.

"I'm going to start heading home, I'll see you there." I stated as Kevin nodded as he got up walking me to my car as I climbed in and he shut the door after I had climbed in. He waited for me to pull out before he began to walk back into the tattoo parlor. I headed to the house where I parked the car along the street before I had climbed out walking along the driveway and path towards the front door. I just felt more secure that he lived in a gated community knowing that Alex couldn't get in or near where we lived. I let myself into the house quietly so I wouldn't wake Kevin's son, I looked over seeing Anita sitting on the couch reading a book.

"How was it tonight?" She asked as I clicked the door shut locking it as I let out a sigh.

"Slow like usual during the week, but apparently Kevin is going to hire that Corey dude back, you know him?" I asked as I walked further into the living room sitting on the arm of the couch.

"Yeah, he is a good man. He was very close to Kevin, they were inseparable when Corey was here more often and he was here when I was pregnant with little Jack but when Corey got offered his new day job it was hard to do both at first so Kevin let him go. Did Corey ask to come back or what?"

"Kevin said he asked Corey to come back to do piercings, I guess to bring in more business." I said with a sigh.

"You like him, don't you? I kind of thought that you would when I first met you, he's single...well at least when I last saw him he was." Anita said.

"Why did you think that?"

"He just seemed like he would fit your taste of men, and he seems like someone that would do you right, you two would be a great match together...call it womans intuition." She said.

"I find him attractive..." I said with a sigh.

"But?"

"But, what about Alex?"

"What about Alex? He doesn't control you anymore sweetie, you have your life back so do what the fuck you want. You are safe now, we won't ever let him do anything to ruin or jeopardize anything or to even lay a finger on you again."

"I just met him, so I don't want to jump to conclusions and we didn't talk much tonight so not going to expect much from it besides being co-workers and hoping to be friends. If something more than that happens, then be it." I said with a shrug.

"Will you tell him about Alex?"

"No...well, not before I have to because I...I don't want it to affect the relationship that may come up between us. That...that is what I'm afraid of that Corey will not want to date me because of Alex...because Alex is a psychatic psychopath it is going to cost me someone that could be potentially be the one...but maybe it is me, I also thought Alex was the one."

"We learn from our mistakes." Anita said as I nodded.

"Well, I'm going to go make myself something to eat before heading to bed." I said as I stood up from the arm of the couch.

"There are leftovers in the fridge from mine and Jack's dinner." Anita responded as I nodded as I headed into the kitchen opening hte fridge and began to heat up a plate of the food before I sat at the breakfast bar eating bite by bite of the food. When I had cleared the plate, I got up taking it to the sink to rinse it off before putting it into the dish washer I had heard the front door opening knowing it had to be Kevin. I walked out to greet him and he shut the door behind him locking it.

"When does Corey start?" I asked.

"Tomorrow." Kevin said as I nodded.

"Alright...I'm going to bed...night." I said as I heard the two 'nights' back to me before I headed up the stairs to the second floor being as quiet as I could as I walked past the open door into Jack's room. I went into the room that Kevin and Anita allow me to stay in, I shut the door behind me locking it so I could change into a pair of pajamas. I pulled off my shirt tossing it towards my clothes basket seeing it landed somewhat in the basket before I looked over my shoulder at the mirror on my dresser seeing the scars that was caused from ex, luckily it wasn't many scars but there were the three main ones but the bruises had been long gone by now. I wanted to get tattoos to cover those scars up but haven't thought of anything that could do. Even though I will get tattoos to try to cover them, you will still be able to notice them and I was just hoping that Corey didn't see the very small and un-noticeable scars that were along my arms, the ones on my back, the one on my leg and stomach are the worse. I let out a sigh as I looked back down at the ground in front of me as I began to further undress then redress into the new outfit before sliding into my bed for a long night of sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**I DO NOT OWN ANYONE OR ANYTHING IN THIS STORY BESIDES THE OC'S.**

**A/N: I AM TAKING A TINY HIATUS DUE TO BEING OUT OF TOWN AND WON'T BE BACK UNTIL AFTER THE NEW YEAR SO SORRY I KIND OF STARTED THIS AND LEAVING IT NOW BUT EXPECT NEW POSTS AFTER THE NEW YEAR.**

**Melanie's Point of View**

The next night, I had drove over to the shop not that long after Kevin to start setting up the shop and getting things ready for the night. We weren't going to open for another hour so I had time to get things in the front set up and got it down in my usual record of 30 minutes so I walked to the back room watching as Kevin was setting up his station with new sanitized equipment so it will be ready for the first customer we were to have. Tonight Corey was going to take up one of the unused stations, we had a couple other tattoo artists but we had two empty so we now have one more empty stations and I never really wanted to get into the tattooing business but if we continue to have empty stations but we had enough artists.

"You ever going to let me teach you how to work this equipment? That is how Corey learned piercing." Kevin said as I let out a sigh as I sat on one of the rolling stools that the artists use.

"I don't know if I want to learn..."

"What do you want to do then? You do great designs for us and good asset, we are all thankful for your ability to draw but learning to tattoo will help you work elsewhere." Kevin said as I let out a sigh, "I just think you are doing great but with Alexander always lurking, I am sure you would want out of this tiny town to get away from him." Kevin said as he was right.

"I like where I am right now, I'm content...even though Alexander is kind of the sour puss but I like you, and Anita and little Jack."

"But I'm sure you want more." He said, and he was right. I wanted and expected more with my life than the situation I was in.

"I think I want to learn." I said nodding as he smirked.

"I will teach you the equipment now." Kevin said as I rolled over letting him teach me the equipment as I had already known most of the equipment from sitting on many and getting my own tattoos.

"So you are going to tattoo now?" Corey asked as I spun around a tad to see him and smiled a tad..

"He's going to teach me, kind of how you learned piercing I was told." I said.

"Very clever, have you told her my whole life story bud?" Corey asked as Kevin smirked.

"No, he has been saying she wants her tragus pierced and told her that you were going to start piercing here and how you got started." Kevin answered.

"Your tragus? Really?" Corey asked as he looked to me and I nodded, "Hope on up and I will get that done on you in a jiffy." Corey said with a smile and I smiled.

"Which one is going to be your station?" I asked as I got up following him to his station now and I sat in the seat pushing the hair behind my ear of the ear that I wantd pierced.

"Why the tragus?" He asked as he rolled up one of the stools for him to sit on as he moved closer and moved his tray with equipment.

"Why not the tragus?" I asked with a smile and chuckled.

"Quit being smart." He said, "You aren't afraid of needles?"

"No, did you see how many tattoos I had?"

"This is going to be different, it's going through your ear..."

"True...I can handle it."

"You want to hold my hand or arm?"

"Since you offered." I said with a smile and he smiled as he moved closer and it was slightly awkward.

"Yes, I need to be close." He said as I saw him smile out of the corner of my eye, "Blue okay? I grabbed a blue ring to match your eyes." He said softly as I felt his fingers gently press the access skin I was getting pierced.

"You remembered my eyes were blue?" I asked not wanting to move any to look him.

"How could I not? They were piercing blue, haven't seen blues like that in ever."

"Thank you?" I asked as I began to feel pressure and the slight pain as I knew he was pushing the needle through.

"You're welcome, it's done, just got to put the ring in." He stated, "Did you ever think that you would be here?"

"No, I never dreamt to be a tattoo artist."

"What did you dream of being?" Corey asked as I felt him moving things on his tray of tools and such.

"I wanted to be a lawyer."

"A lawyer, why didn't you follow through?" Corey asked.

"You know how long you need to go to school for that?"

"Not as much as a doctor."

"True."

"And lawyers are paid very well so it would have made up for all that training and such, so how did drawing come to you?" Corey asked curiously as I let out a sigh.

"I took a drawing class in high school and I really liked it."

"What about college?"

"No college, thought I was in love...are we done?" I asked wanting to end it there.

"Yeah..." He said as I stood up.

"Thank you." I said as I began to walk away.

"You might want to go wipe at your ear, there might be some blood or dried up blood." Corey yelled after me as I didn't want to go further into that conversation as I went into the bathroom wiping at my piercing to get the blood off from him piercing the skin.

"So...what was that about?" Kevin asked.

"Nothing Kevin, okay?"

"Well Corey said you kind of got uncomfortable and stormed off talking about college and how you thought you were in love." Kevin stated as I let out a sigh.

"I don't want to tell him about Alex...at least not yet..."

"You didn't have to, you could have just left it at what you said and if he had asked you any quesiton, you could have just told him you don't want to talk about it." Kevin said as I nodded as I shut hte light off in the bathroom walking out of the small room and up to Corey.

"Sorry for acting the way I did...just...I don't want to talk about my ex."

"I didn't want to talk about your ex, I wanted to know about you..." Corey stated as he smiled, "So, now that you are single, you going to go to college?"

"Haven't really thought about it." I said shrugging as I sat down into one of the rolling stools.

"It's up to you, but having a degree never hurts." Corey stated.

"Do you have a degree?"

"I do." He said nodding with a smile.

"But you resorted to this?" I asked.

"I'm doing what I love...but at least I have a degree in something to fall back on."

"That is true...what did you get a degree in?"

"Marketing."

"Really? You as a marketer? I can't picture it." I said with a chuckle.

"So now you know why I didn't pursue it after I graduated."

"Yeah..." I said with a smile, "Why did you go to college and spend all that money if that isn't what you are doing? Are you doing that at your day job?" I asked.

"You know about my other job?"

"No, I just know you have a second job is all." I said shrugging as he nodded saying a soft oh.

"No, it is nothing to do with marketing unfortunately." He said as I nodded, "What do you do here?"

"I book appointments, set people up with their tattoos, help prepare the artists with the customers and such...not much..." I said shrugging.

"I offered to teach her how to tattoo since she has an amazing talent in drawing." Kevin said jumping in as he walked by to pour himself a cup of coffee at the small break area we had.

"Is that so? I think it'll be great." Corey stated.

"Do you now?" I asked.

"Yes I do." Corey said with a smile.

"You don't even know if I will be good at it." I retorted with a smile.

"It's just like drawing but with a needle." Corey said trying to compare the two.

"I am more afraid of it being permanent...tattooing is permanent and drawing in my sketch book, I can erase and try again." I stated.

"You can drew it up first then do that stencil trick that I do and most of us do to help so you won't be as nervous." Kevin stated.

"He's got a point so you can't say that it's permanent cause there is a way around it." Corey said as I sighed.

"I think maybe I can give it a try." I said as they both smiled in victory.

"We'll start tomorrow...but first I need you to update our website, and other things to now include that we have piercing available." Kevin said as I nodded as I stood up heading to my office area and got to work on things that needed to get done tonight. At the end of the night, I shut the lamp light off along with turning off the things that needed to be turned off before I headed over to the back where the tattooing and piercing took place.

"Hey Kevin, I'm ready to head home..." I said. Kevin always walked me to my car in case my ex was out there waiting for me to get off shift even though my ex hasn't had a problem in the past of coming into the shop but there is the element of not knowing still.

"Give me a few more minutes and I'll walk you out to the car." Kevin said as I nodded as I looked over seeing Corey still cleaning up his station, at least that is what I presumed.

"I'm done and heading out, I can walk her to her car." Corey said as he put his bag on his one shoulder.

"Thanks." Kevin said as I smiled. Corey walked over offering me his arm, I looked at his arm then up at him with a half smirk.

"I don't bite, I promise." He said softly with a smile as I rolled my eyes sliding my arm into the gap between his arm and body resting my hand on his elbow as I walked beside him out of the shop. "Which car is yours?" He asked as the door shut behind us as I pointed out my car. "You need to upgrade the ride."

"Right now my finances aren't really spot on so it is holding up for me for the time being." I said truthfully.

"Totally understand...so, what do you have planned tomorrow?" Corey asked.

"Besides work, nothing much...why?" I asked as i pushed a strand of hair behind my ear feeling myself blush.

"Well, I was wondering if you wanted to hang out...nothing other than going to the mall...or a movie or something." He asked.

"What about your day job?" I asked curiously.

"Day off, I'll bring you here and even drive you home..." He said as I bit at my bottom lip.

"Sounds like fun...I need some away time for a little while." I said truthfully, for once I hadn't thought about my ex.

"Alright, where should I pick you up at?" He asked curiously.

"You know where Kevin lives?"

"Yeah..."

"I live with them..." I said ashamed of saying as I looked down between us as I felt his forefinger and thumb gently grasp my chin lifting my face to look up at him.

"I'll see you tomorrow, is 11 okay?" He asked.

"Sounds wonderful." I said with a smile as he reached over pulling my door open for me and watched as I climbed into the car.

"Drive safe, I should see you tomorrow."

"Yes you should." I said with a smile as he smiled back at me as he pushed the door shut and he walked back up to the sidewalk watching as I pulled out. I felt like I was a little girl with a crush, this was my first date with someone other than my ex and I wasn't even sure if it would classify as a date. I headed back to the house where I let myself in and locked it up behind me, I headed into the kitchen seeing Anita opening the microwave.

"I heard you pull up, how did it go?" She asked.

"Tonight went good...I have a date tomorrow."

"With who?" She asked curiously as she set the plate of food down in front of where I began to sit.

"Corey. He is picking me up here if that is okay." I said as she smiled.

"Of course it is. You really like him huh? Your face lites up when speaking of him..."

"I do...I am just worried about him with my ex." I said truthfully as I bit into the food.

"Trust me when I say that Corey can take care of himself when it comes to that type of thing." Anita said with a smile.

"Is there something you and Kevin not telling me?" I asked.

"Nope, not at all."

"So what are you going to do on the date?"

"Not sure, think he said the mall or hte movies." I said shrugging as she smiled.

"That should be fun, did you get a piercing?" She asked turning my face so she could see it better, "Corey did that, he does a great job."

"You should let him pierce you."

"I am not that daring." Anita said with a chuckle as her and I continued to chat until Kevin got home which wasn't much later. "So Miss Melanie has a date with Corey tomorrow." Anita broke the news as Kevin smiled.

"Do you now? I am actually shocked he did it."

"You knew?" I asked as I looked to him as he let out a chuckle.

"Yeah, he was talking about it while you were working and he wasn't sure if you were going to say yes." Kevin answered as he sat down beside me.

"Did you tell him I would?" I asked as I saw him bite into his food, "You did didn't you?"

"Yes." Kevin said with a smile and chuckle as I playfully smacked him and he chuckled more.

"I'm going to bed so I could rest up nicely for tomorrow." I said as I stood up taking care of my dishes before I headed up to my room to get ready for bed and fell asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**I DO NOT OWN ANYONE OR ANYTHING IN THIS STORY BESIDES THE OC'S.**

**Melanie's Point of View-**

I woke up at 7 AM, which is usually Jack wakes up during the week due to school and I always got up to have breakfast with them. I stayed in my pajamas, didn't want to start getting showered or dressed or anything until closer to 11 AM when the date with Corey was and figured he will be here roughly a few minutes prior to 11 but I still had 3-4 hours so I didn't see the problem. I headed down the stairs pulling my hair up into a messy ponytail as I stopped at the bottom turning to face the living room seeing Jack sitting on Corey's lap as Kevin and Anita were sitting on the couch opposing Corey, each holding a cup of coffee and hearing Anita let out a laugh as Corey continued to talk. My mouth dropped as I turned to try to run up the stairs before Corey saw me in my pajamas that consisted of a spaghetti strap and fuzzy pants.

"Morning sleepy head." Kevin said right when I put my foot onto the first step as I turned putting on a fake half smile.

"Morning." I said as I walked down the two steps to get to the actual floor.

"There is still coffee brewed and breakfast may just have to be heated up." Anita said as I nodded, "It's time for me to take little Jack to school." Anita said as she stood up and I walked past them to head into the kitchen. I opened the one cupboard pulling a mug out from the cupboard setting it onto the counter as I reached over grabbing the pot of coffee that was still being heated from the burner.

"I hope you don't mind me coming over early, hadn't seen little Jack in months." Corey said as I glanced over at him.

"I don't mind, just wished that I had known so I wouldn't come walking down looking like a complete mess." I said softly as he chuckled.

"You aren't a complete mess, I have seen people look worse."

"Oh, that makes me feel so much better." I said with a soft chuckle as I went to the fridge grabbing the creamer.

"I hope it did, I know I look worse when I wake up from a good nights sleep...why don't you drink your cup of joe, get ready and we will go do breakfast?"

"Do breakfast and lunch out? Uh, that is a lot of money...I can just re-heat some of this food or have a bowl of cereal." I said as he nodded as I began making a plate of the food that Anita had cooked earlier I had presumed before heating it in the microwave for a half minute and putting finishing touches on it, like ketchup on my eggs and making toast to go with my eggs and bacon. I went to sit at the dining room table and Corey sat in a chair beside me as he leant onto the table with his forearms.

"So, what do you want to do today? I was thinking going to the mall, they have a food court, movie theater, an arcade and of course, stores and I know that all girls love to shop." Corey said with a smile.

"I do love to shop, but I can't buy anything. Make sure I don't spend a dime on something I don't need." I said as I pointed at him with my fork.

"I cross my heart..." Corey said as he lazily did the symbol for that with a smile, "It just means I can spend my dime on it or know what I can get you for your birthday or a holiday." Corey said as he reached over stealing a slice of my bacon.

"Hey!" I said in a fake offended tone and let out a soft chuckle as he smiled as he took a bite of the slice of bacon.

"What?" He asked in a fake confused manner with the bacon still in his mouth as he spoke.

"You stole my bacon, you can get your own man." I said as he smiled.

"But your plate is closer than the bacon plate." He said as I let out a groan as I walked over getting another plate putting some bacon on it and brought it over.

"Merry Christmas." I said non-enthusiastic about it as I set the plate down in front of him.

"Thanks...I can't get enough of this stuff even though it isn't good for my diet."

"You? On a diet? Aren't you skinny enough? You are also muscular, why are you even on a diet?"

"How else am I supposed to keep my figure?" Corey asked with a chuckle.

"Good point, any pointers on losing weight other than stop eating bacon?" I asked as I took a bite of my own bacon.

"A lot of determination, dedication and sweating...I can help you with getting a gym membership." Corey offered as he ate a piece of bacon.

"I may like that but don't have money to pay a monthly charge for a gym so I got to resort to at home work outs."

"You want a work out buddy? I can drive over, we can go for jogs and such? I got free weights I can bring over or hell you can come to my place daily and do a work out routine."

"Why do I feel like you will murder me in a work out?"

"I"m not that bad as a work out couch, I promise you."

"I'll think about it." I said as I poked at my eggs before eating at it.

"How did you end up working with Kevin?" Corey asked.

"Well, I was always walking in seeing if I could get work done, I never had money to pay for them so I would work for the tattoo to kind of pay the tab and I kind of wanted a reason out of my current place at that time and I seeked it out and that was the result. Things got worse and I became homeless so he opened up his home to me so here I am and ended up staying here." I spoke looking down at my plate not wanting to look at him.

"Hey, we all have our struggles and we have to do what we got to do in order to survive. It's a dog eat dog world out there." Corey said as he had no idea how true that statement was and how I was withholding information about the situation at hand but hoped that that the truth won't come out for a good length of time until I was comfortable and trusted him enough to tell him the truth if that time ever came.

"Yeah, we do..." I said as I took another bite of my eggs.

"So, did you get a lot of ink done then since you were always heading there?"

"Not as much as you have done I am presuming." I said sarcastically with a soft chuckle.

"I do have a lot and plan on getting more but I could visually see you don't have as much as me but you said you got some."

"I have like six..." I said confidently.

"Why are you slacking? Get going girl, you have to catch up to me." Corey said as I chuckled.

"I doubt I will ever get that many, I would run out of things I want to get tattooed on my body. How did you come up with all of those things? Don't they each have a meaning?"

"Obviously they all have a meaning if I got them inked on my body, that will be a long date that we will have for me to go through each and every one so that will come to a different day."

"If there will be a date after today." I muttered.

"What? You already don't want to go on this date?"

"No, I just meant...after today you may not want to go out with me again."

"Well I can't make that decision until after today, so don't cross any t's or dot any i's until afterwards, okay miss jumping ahead?" He asked as I blushed slightly and smirked.

"Okay." I said as I set my fork down, "I'm done...I'm going to go get ready so I'll be ready in like a half hour or so."

"Alright, no rush...I'll go with Kevin to drop Jack off at school and you should hopefully done by the time we get back." Corey said as he stood up simtaneously with me as I took my plate to the sink before I followed behind him out to the living room. I headed upstairs to my room, now that I saw what Corey was wearing I could kind of base my outfit off of what he was wearing. I picked out a simple pair of jeans that had rips along the legs purposefully, a black cami top with a white cardigan and a white kintted hat. I went to shower before I came back to my room getting dressed, blow drying my hair and doing all the daily rituals I would normally do to get ready for the day but this time I had done extra prep to make myself extra cute if that was possible for him. I did almost a full 180 view to make sure all the scars were being covered from my clothing so no questions were being asked about the scars or that they were visible period because I didn't want him seeimg it and running over to Kevin to ask questions behind my back. I transitioned my wallet into a wristlet wallet before I headed downstairs seeing Anita, Corey and Kevin on the couches laughing and chatting, it was nice seeing that he was friends with them as well and I felt like the third wheel because I was the odd one out because I wasn't that close to Corey and I looked to Corey as attractive and someone that I want to know more about him. I stepped off the last step as I walked further into the living room sitting on the arm of the couch where Corey sat looking over at Anita and Kevin.

"You look nice today Melanie." Anita said as I smirked.

"Thanks." I said as I pushed a strand of hair behind my ear as I glanced over to Corey feeling his hand plant onto my back gently rubbing it.

"She definitely does, well we should get going huh?" Corey asked as I nodded as I stood back up.

"I'll be back." I said.

"Your curfew is 10 PM." Kevin said.

"I have the shop to work tonight."

"Me too." Corey said sarcastically.

"Well, I'll see you both at the shop if not before then." Kevin said as I pulled the front door open and Corey grabbed the door behind me to hold it open for us to walk through. I stepped out and aside to let him step out in front of me to lead me to his car that he had parked in front of the house.


	4. Chapter 4

**I DO NOT OWN ANYONE OR ANYTHING IN THIS STORY BESIDES THE OC'S.**

**Melanie's Point of View-**

Corey went opening the door for me letting me climb into his car and he shut it after I had fully gotten into his car. I watched as he did this little speed walk slow jog around the car where he finally climbed into the drivers seat and he shut the door behind him.

"You have a nice car, how new is it?" I asked curiously.

"It's the current year make so it is the newest of the new." Corey said as I let out a chuckle at the way he put it. "What type of music you like?" Corey asked as I shrugged.

"I listen to anything, I like rock like the screaming rock but the alternative rock too or old school rock."

"You sound like my type of girl, that is exactly what I got stored in my radio stations...you listen to A Day To Remember?" Corey asked as a fake shock look came over my face.

"Of course, I adore them. I wish I could have went to the concert they just had out here but couldn't make it."

"Man, I went and if I had known I could have gave you the spare ticket."

"What?! You had a spare ticket? How did you even have a spare ticket?!" I asked in an anger excitement.

"I just did, next time I'll make sure to grab two tickets...I got their new CD, you want a hear?" Corey asked.

"Absolutely." I said with a smile as Corey pushed a button causing the music to begin playing off the CD. I began to slightly bobbed my head to the music as I looked out the window as Corey pulled off driving towards the mall that we would be exploring together today. Corey had parked his car as close as he could but he made sure it wasn't between two cars so no one would hit his car, men and their cars. I climbed out and walked around the body of the car to meet him on the other side as he locked it from his key chain as he walked beside me.

"So, what store do you always hit first when going to the mall? Is it the shoe store? The arcade? The lingerie store?" Corey asked as I gasped hearing him say the last option, "What? Like I don't know you are wearing some kind of undergarments, nothing to be embarrassed about...maybe you just won't shop there with me today...scratch that off the list..." Corey said with his geeky but adorable smile and his eyes barely being able to be seen underneath his dark brown sunglasses.

"I haven't been to the mall shopping in what seems like months, I only come when it is time to take Jack school clothes shopping or if Anita needs to buy something." I said shrugging my shoulders.

"But there still has to be a favorite store, Hot Topic? That tends to be where people like us tend to end up..." Corey said as I smiled.

"I do like that store but haven't really gone in there since Jack is kind of too young and such."

"Well..." Corey said as he spun around pretending to look around us, "Little Jack isn't here now is he? Only grown ups have come out to play today." He said as I chuckled as he smiled before he reached out pulling the door to the mall open for me. I stepped inside to the air conditioned mall as he stepped in beside me to let the door open behind us. "We will hit stores along the way, why doesn't a girl like yourself like shopping?" Corey asked.

"I never said I didn't like it, I just said I don't go often..." I corrected him as he nodded.

"You're right, so explain...why not go often?"

"Money, as you couldn't figure, I am at rock bottom right now slowly trying to crawl my way back to the top and with that I can't really go to the mall and splurge my money on buying a pair of shoes like that." I said nodding towards a pair of shoes that were on display in the window front.

"What caused you to hit rock bottom? I mean, I know you probably tried your hardest not to let it get to this point because I don't think anyone wants to hit the absolute bottom but just wondering." Corey asked as I shrugged.

"Everything...my life was a joke before this honestly and fortunately Kevin was smarter than I was and was there to rescue me at my lowest and to help me get to where I am now so I am forever in debt to him for getting me this far." I answered in the most vague as I could as Corey nodded as I had hoped that would be accepted as a reasonable answer. We slowly walked and talked along the store fronts in the mall, we only stopped to observe the displays and discuss the different items in the store front we liked and didn't like to kind of learn more about the others personality and style. That was until we had gotten to Hot Topic where we had willingly entered, I swear we had spent over an hour in that store just spending time looking at each individual item, especially the clearance rack where Corey found us a matching ADTR t-shirts that he purchased for us to wear. "Thanks for the shirt..." I said as I stepped out of the store holding the bag that contained my shirt.

"You're welcome." He said, "You should cut it ou and make it more rockish..." Corey stated as I smirked trying to picture a way to cut it.

"I wouldn't even know where to begin on how or where to start on doing it." I said truthfully as I shrugged as he smirked.

"I am sure Anita would know a few things on that."

"What? You serious? She knows how?" I asked with a chuckle as he let out a chuckle too as he nodded. "Her and I need to have a talk then because she is holding out on me."

"You should...you want to play a few games?" He asked nodding towards the arcade that we happened to be finally standing in front of.

"I don't have any cash on me."

"Did I ask if you had cash? I asked if you wanted to play a few games." Corey asked sarcastically as I chuckled and blushed. "Come on." He said nodding towards the store as he began to lead me into the store that was filled with the arcade games and us two since all the children were off at school and adults were working mostly. I looked around the place looking at the different games that were filling up the place to see what kind of games that were available as I heard the coins falling from the machine after Corey fed it bill after bill. "What's first beautiful?" He asked as I blushed softly at the last word as I bit at my bottom lip.

"Air hockey." I stated, my eyes couldn't pull off of it as I led him over to the air hockey table where Corey deposited the money to turn on the machine and the puck fell out on my side.

"There isn't any crying in video games."

"I won't be the one crying." I stated seriously as he smirked as I put the puck down onto the machine and hit it hard enough for it shoot down to his side to start the game, it was a pretty intense game and Corey won by one point, it was 3-4.

"What's next loser?"

"Don't get too cocky." I said glaring at him as I looked around as I pointed at the racing ones, "You're on." I said as he began to laugh as I glared at him harder as I pulled him by the arm over to the connected machines climbing in and allowed him to deposit the money letting us to figure out the race information and I had came in 3rd and he came in 5th so I had beat him that round. Rest of the games were single players so we spent rest of the money playing and trying to earn tickets.

"We recieved 130 tickets, what can we get with that?" He asked as we looked over the small wall of prizes as I looked over it seeing a few things I liked but I wasn't picky. "May I surprise you?" He asked as I nodded, "Meet me out front and I'll be there soon." He stated as I was confused as I turned heading back out into the main mall area looking around it unsure what or why Corey had asked me to do this when I felt his hand wrap around me covering my eyes.

"What are you doing Corey?" I asked curiously with a soft laugh when he uncovered my eyes seeing a tiny gorilla stuffed animal.

"I thought you would like it." He said as he stepped around me as I smiled.

"Like it, I love it." I said with a big smile as I grabbed it from his grip as I held it smiling as I looked up at him. "What now?" I asked curiously as he chuckled.

"We still have more time together and a lot more mall to cover." He said as I nodded as he began to lead me the direction we were originally heading in before we had hit the arcade. As we continued walking, I saw the one thing I did not want to see and that was my ex boyfriend walking in our direction and I stopped as a panic attack felt like it was overcoming my body in fear that he would see me and my first thoughts were Corey because I knew that this wasn't going to go well. I quickly dived into the store we were next to trying to dodge the man and as I walked quickly throughout the store trying to find a place to hide, that being the fitting room and I curled up in the corner of the room trying to hold back tears hoping that they won't escape. I heard a knock on the door, I didn't say anything besides hold back the tears and weeping of fear that it could be Alex. "Melanie? Are you in there?" I heard Corey's voice ask from the other side.

"Is...is that you Corey?" I asked trying to not let my voice crack.

"Yeah...who else would it be?" He asked.

"Anyone with you?"

"A store associate by the name of Heather." He answered as I looked under the door looking at the pants and shoes before I slowly stood up and pulling the door open a little bit seeing Corey and the store associate. "What's wrong Melanie?" He asked instantly as he reached out grasping my free hand, his thumb rubbing the back of my hand soothingly as I nervously slid out of hte room and pulled him into a hug as my face buried into his chest.

"I want to go home." I stuttered as his arms wrapped around me, his hands rubbed at my back and he nodded.

"Thank you ma'am." Corey said towards the sales associate as he led me out of the store, I stopped at the entrance looking around making sure I didn't see Alex, and when I didn't I nervously stepped out cuddling against Corey's side hoping he could protect me. We headed back to his car where I hadn't said a thing the whole way to the car much less the whole drive to the house I was residing in. He parallel parked in front of the house turning his car off and he looked over at me. "Look, I don't know what happened today in the mall and whatever it was, just know that I will listen and understand. I won't judge you either, I'm an open book and I'm just like Kevin and whatever you can tell him you can tell me, okay? I won't let anything hurt you, nor would I want you hurting physically or emotionally. It hurt just seeing you that close to tears and I don't know you as well as I would want us to be. I really like you Melanie and wish that we can progress on to be more than friends." Corey said as I just listened, I nodded and looked over at him.

"I'm sorry...for today...sometime I will tell you but...but right now, our friendship and relationship is too fragile for this, I'm too fragile for it..." I said as he nodded.

"Okay, it will take time and I understand that...whenever you are ready, I'm here for you beautiful." He said with a smile and I nodded.


	5. Chapter 5

**I DO NOT OWN ANYONE OR ANYTHING IN THIS STORY BESIDES THE OC'S.**

**Melanie's Point of View-**

We sat in his car quietly and I stared up at the house feeling bad for kind of making this date end kind of abruptly, I had to apologize but my lips weren't moving until the silence was finally broken and it wasn't from me.

"You hungry? You want to go get some food?" He asked.

"But we are at my place and-"

"We can still go get some food, there is a McDonald's on like every block and it's not a problem..." Corey said as I smiled and he smiled, "Food it is..." He said as he buckled back up starting the car driving off, "What sounds good to you? Tacos, hamburgers, pancakes?"

"Tacos..." I said smiling as he smiled.

"Good choice, Taco Bell or Del Taco?"

"Whatever one you prefer, I'm not that picky." I said shrugging as he turned to head towards whatever restaurant he had decided on and saw that he had pulled into a Del Taco parking his car in a spot before we climbed out heading inside. It felt comforting even though after my minor break down at the mall he was still accepting and wanting to spend time with me regardless if he knew or not, it meant a lot to me because it meant he still liked me without knowing all of me. We ordered our food and claimed a table until our orders were called from the counter. "I do wnat to apologize for earlier...it doesn't happen often, just...I saw someone and it was just..."

"Too much? A bad person I presume if they scared you that much." He said as I nodded.

"Big time...but, it's all about moving on and just trying to cut myself off from this person and not let my new life get involved with that old life...they were a poison infecting me."

"Got'cha...hey, it's hard...especially in a small town like this...maybe you should come stay at my place, I got a place outside the city and it's own little town so the possibilty is slimmer and you can ride with me into work and such." Corey offered as I smiled and liked that offer, "That smile is beautiful, it's telling me you would like to do it." He said as he sipped as his drink.

"I really do..."

"But-" He interrupted as I let out a sigh.

"I don't think me moving in right now is best for whatever our relationship is at right now." I had answered as I bit at my bottom lip as he let out a chuckle.

"Right, but if you ever change your mind or just a night to get away from Kevin and his family to have personal time, let me know. I have a day job of sorts so I'm home rarely."

"I'll keep that in mind...so any weird or scary ex's on your behalf?" I asked curiously as I sipped at my drink as he smirked.

"I had one scary one, scar that went across her eye." He said showing where with his finger as I made this gross out face.

"Why'd you date her?"

"I met her through an online dating site and to my defense she used a picture of someone else so I didn't know."

"You got catfished?"

"Is that what it's called now?" He asked as I smiled and chuckled when our number was called and he went to get our food from the counter. He returned from the counter with the tray with our food, he set it down in the middle as I grabbed my burito and fries setting it in front of me.

"But what I don't get, why is a guy like you on dating sites anyway? You seem really chill, laid back and friendly...I don't know why you would have a hard time picking up a girl."

"Well, I spend a lot of my free time either working or hitting the gym or something. I'm not a social butterfly where I go out to bars or strike up conversations with every girl I see."

"You striked up a conversation with me."

"But I met you at work, we are coworkers, it will be rude of me not to talk to you and to ignore you."

"True." I said with a chuckle as I ate one of the fries.

"Are you on any dating sites?" Corey asked as I let out a sigh.

"No, not really looking at getting into a serious relationship that way...rather meet them in person and face to face than through a computer screen." I said truthfully.

"Where were you when I needed that advice?"

"Working?" I asked sarcastically with a chuckle as he smiled.

"Right..." He said, "So why that tattoo shop?"

"Why not? I had to get out of the house, that was the farthest away from where I was that I could walk, and wanted to dull the pain somehow so got tattoos to take away from the pain. One day Kevin saw more than I had wanted him to see but thankfully he did because he saved from the situation I was in."

"You never say how bad it was or what situation it was you were in."

"It's not anything you should be concerned of right now...when the time is right, you will know." I said knowing that I hope to never tell him and that hopefully I can tell him before my ex decided to make himself known because he hasn't shown his face at the shop recently.

"When is the time going to be right?"

"You don't worry about that, I'll know and you will know because I will tell you." I said honestly as I took a sip from my drink.

"My ears are always open for listening and they are there for that purpose."

"I know, but not now...my ears are always open too." I said with a smirk as I glanced up at him as he smirked.

"I'm glad...but speaking of ears, how's that piercing?" He asked as I smiled as I turned for him to look.

"Not infected, been cleaning it."

"As you are supposed to..." He said with a smile as we made small talk between eating our food but mostly focused on eating before he drove me to the tattoo parlor for the night shift.


End file.
